The Ramblers were defeated in three sets by Butler University.
The Ramblers were defeated in three sets by Butler University.
Loyola Women’s volleyball fell to Butler University Sept. 5 in three sets at the Kiwi Star Classic tournament. First-year outside Leyna Nguyen led the Ramblers with nine kills while second-year outside Alaleh Tolliver led the Bulldogs with 12 kills and nine digs.
The Bulldogs started strong with a 6-3 run, with third-year outside hitter Elise Ward tallying three kills. Kills from third-year right-side hitter Sawyer Jones and Tolliver kept the momentum for Butler.
Two kills from second-year outside hitter Kaitlyn Burke and a service ace from first-year setter Ava Hunter closed the gap 10-9. Second-year middle blocker Zoe McDonald added two kills in response for the Bulldogs.
Despite kills from third-year middle blocker Avary DeBlieck and Burke, two kills from Ward and Rambler errors put the Bulldogs up 16-11. Second-year outside Claire Van Den Herik responded to Ward with a kill for the Ramblers.
DeBlieck scored a kill along with blocks from second-year outside hitter Kate Maley and Burke. Following a Bulldog service error, Butler took a timeout with the lead dwindling at 18-17. Tolliver answered out of the timeout with a kill for Butler.
Two blocks by DeBlieck and a block from McDonald had the set tied at 20. A Tolliver service ace and kills from second-year middle blocker Ellery Rees and Ward gave the momentum back to Butler, putting them at set point, 24-22.
Back-to-back kills by Nguyen — who has recently been named Atlantic 10’s Rookie of the week — gave the Ramblers a chance to come back, but a kill from McDonald and a block by Tolliver and Rees gave the first set to the Bulldogs 26-24.
The second set started with kills from first-year outside Karli Molnau and Nguyen followed by kills from, and Jones and McDonald for the Bulldogs, tying the set at four.
A kill from Tolliver was combated by a block, kill and two service aces from fourth-year middle blocker Ann Marie Remmes and a kill from Maley, giving all the momentum to the Ramblers with a score of 11-7.
The Bulldogs continued to fight with a block by Jones and a kill from Ward. The Ramblers answered with kills from DeBlieck and Nguyen. Despite those kills, Tolliver slammed three kills in a row, forcing the Ramblers to take a timeout up 15-14.
Nguyen added two more kills, but Tolliver tallied two kills in response. Both sides continued to trade kills with Rees for the Bulldogs and Burke and Remmes each adding a kill, tying late in the set at 19.
Two Jones kills and a block by Rees and Jones gave the Bulldogs the advantage. A Rambler error led to a set point for Butler. A final block from Rees and Jones closed out the second set at 25-22, with Butler now up by two sets.
McDonald and Ward started off the third set with a block, which incited a 4-0 run for the Bulldogs, including a kill from McDonald and two service aces from Ward.
Maley tabbed a kill to get the Ramblers on the board, but it wasn’t enough to stop a 7-0 run by the Bulldogs. Two Tolliver kills and more from Rees and Jones gave the advantage to Butler, 11-1.
Another Maley kill attempted to bring momentum to the Ramblers but was met with a service ace from second-year defensive specialist Jersey Loyer. Three Rambler kills by Burke, Remmes and Nguyen made the score 13-6.
Two Ward kills were answered with a kill from Burke, but a kill from Jones and a block by McDonald and Ward only furthered the Bulldog lead, 19-9.
Burke, Nguyen and Maley each added a kill for the Ramblers, but it wasn’t enough to combat kills from Tolliver, Ward and Rees, making it 23-13.
The Ramblers gained some late momentum off kills from Remmes and Hunter, but a kill from Ward and a block alongside McDonald ended the match with the third set’s final score being 25-16.
The Ramblers take on Stephen F. Austin University Sept. 11 in Gentile Arena at 6 p.m. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.
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